Transmission



May 31, 193$. H MEECH 1 2,118,853

TRANSMISSION 5 Filed June 1, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 EN'hJR:

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Filed June 1, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENI'I'J J. H. MEECH TRANSMISSION Filed June 1, 1935 4 sheets-sheet s INVENI'DR:

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TRANSMISSION Filed June 1, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED STA.

ATENT ()FFIQE' TRANSMISSION Application June 1, 1935, Serial No. 24,496

4 Claims.

This invention relates to transmission gear sets for motor vehicles and has for its general object to devise a relatively light and compact gear set of this character which provides for the conventional three-speed forward and reverse drives controlled by the conventionally operated gear shift element or lever, and which also permits the use, if desired, of gear synchronizing devices as Well as a relatively silent drive through constant mesh spiral gears in close proximity to the shaft bearings.

Modern motor vehicle design and present day driving conditions and practices impose extreme torque loads upon the transmission shafts, particularly at first and second speeds, and these, in turn, produce a tendency to deflection which amplifies any slight eccentricity which may exist, causing incorrect meshing of the spiral gears and abnormal stress at the tooth addendum with consequent gear noise and eventual tooth fatigue. This tendency varies directly with the lengths of the shafts and inversely with their diameters. Since, in the conventional transmission, shaft lengths cannot be materially reduced, previous attempts to overcome the above objectionable tendencies have been by recourse to increased shaft diameters. Such increases in diameter, if sufficient to be effective, have materially added to the weight and bulkiness of the transmission and to the difficulties of gear shifting. In accordance with the present invention the desired result is accomplished by so rearranging the gears as to permit a material shortening of the shafts and the location of the spiral gears in close proximity to the shaft bearings, where the effects of deflection, if any, are minimum, all without changing, except to facilitate, the conventional mode of operation.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of certain illustrative embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, these embodiments, however, being chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a central vertical longitudinal section through the complete transmission.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the gear shifting elements.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the lines 33, Figs. 1 and '4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the line t-d, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken 5 substantially on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

6 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 5-6, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a detail section taken substantially on the lines 1 1, Figs. 5 and 6.

Figs. 8 and 9 are views corresponding to Figs. land 5, respectively, showing a modification.

Fig. 10 is a section taken substantially on the line ifi-l9, Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a section taken substantially on the 15 line Ii-il, Fig. 10.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the transmission casing I5 is of a suitable size and shape to em close the mechanism hereinafter described and affords the necessary supports, guides, etc.,,for the various moving parts. Said casing is provided with a cover l6 carrying a suitable universal joint bearing ii for the conventional gear shift lever l8.

Mounted in the casing l5 are three parallel shafts comprising a main transmission shaft IS, a countershaft 2B, and a reverse shaft 2|. The main transmission shaft i9 comprises alined driving and driven sections 22 and 23, the former being j ournalled in an anti-friction bearing 24 in the front wall of the casing l5, and the latter being journalled in an anti-friction bearing 25 in the rear wall of the casing, its forward end being further journalled in a thrust bearing, 26 in the rear end of the driving section 22. The countershaft 2!! is journalled in thrust bearings 22 and 28 in the front and rear walls of the casing I5, while the reverse shaft 2! is likewise journalled in similar front and rear bearings 29 and 3B.

Fast upon, or preferably formed integral with, the driving section 22 adjacent its rear end and immediately adjacent the bearing 24 is a spiral gear 3! in constant mesh with a spiral gear 32 fast upon the countershaft 20 immediately adjacent the bearing 21. Also fast on the countershaft 2o immediately adjacent the bearing 28 is a spiral gear 33 in constant mesh with a spiral gear 34 rotatably mounted on the driven section 23 immediately adjacent the bearing 25. Also fast on the countershaft 2t immediately adjacent the gear 32, and preferably pressed on the hub of the latter, is a spiral gear 35 in constant mesh with a spiral gear 36 fast on the reverse shaft 2| immediately adjacent the bearing 29.

The driven section 23 is formed adjacent its forward end with a splined portion 31 on which is slidably mounted a hub 38 having internal conical friction clutch surfaces 39 and 46. The clutch surface 39 cooperates with a complementary friction clutch surface 4| formed on a clutch member 42 fast upon the driving section 22 immediately in the rear of the gear 3|. The clutch surface 49 cooperates with a complementary friction clutch surface 43 formed on the hub of the gear 34. The exterior surface of the hub 38 is formed with longitudinal splines 44 which coact with internal splines 45 (see particularly Fig. 4), on the hub 6 of a spur gear 41, said internal splines 45 also serving as positive or dog clutch elements cooperating with complementary elements 48 and 49 on the clutch member 42 and the hub of the gear 34, respectively. The hubs 38 and 6 are normally coupled for longitudinal movement in unison by spring pressed detents 59 which, however, are releasable, when sufficient longitudinal force is exerted upon the hub 6 while the hub 38 is held against longitudinal movement by engagement of the clutch surfaces 39, 4| or 46, 43, to permit engagement of the splines or clutch elements 45 with the clutch elements 4'8 and 49.

Splined upon the countershaft 26 and reverse shaft 2|, respectively, are two spur gears 5| and 52, said gears normally occupying positions immediately adjacent the gears 35 and 36, respectively, but being alternatively shiftable rearwardly from these positions into mesh with the spur gear 47, as hereinafter explained.

Slidably mounted in the upper part of the easing |5 are two parallel shifter slides 53 and 54 having notched portions 55 and 56 which cooperate in the conventional manner with the gear shift lever l8. The slide 53 is provided with a fork 51 which engages a groove 58 in the hub 6 of the gear 47, whereby the latter may be shifted forwardly and rearwardly as above mentioned. The slide 54 carries a pin 59 (see also Fig. 5) embraced by the forked upper end 59 of a lever 6i pivoted intermediate its ends at 62 to the side wall of the casing I5. The lower end of the lever 6| cooperates with a pair of slides 63 and 64 guided for longitudinal movement on a rod 65 secured at its ends in the end walls of the casing I5, said slides being normally held in the neutral positions shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6 by springs 66 and 61 interposed between said slides respectively and the casing walls. The slide 63 carries a fork 68 which engages a groove 69 in the hub of the gear 5|, said slide being held against turning about the rod 65 by a pin 16 (see Fig. '7) which engages a groove 7| in said rod. The slide 64 is formed with an arm '12 the free end of which is slotted, as shown at 13, to receive a pin 74 carried by one end of a lever i5 pivoted intermediate its ends at 76 to the bottom wall of the casing and having pivoted to its opposite end a finger or fork 'l'l engaging a groove 18 in the hub of the gear 52.

The lower end of the lever 6| is received in recesses l9 and 89 in the slides 63 and 64 and has slidably mounted therein a pin 8| having tapered or chamfered ends 82 and 83 which cooperate respectively with notches 84 and 85 in the walls of the recesses 79 and 86 and with cam surfaces 86 and 81 formed on the rod 65. The arrangement is such that when the lower end of the lever 6| is moved toward the right from the neutral position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, it will first engage the end wall of the recess 19, moving the slide 63 to the right in opposition to the spring 66, thereby causing the fork 68 to move the gear 5| rearwardly into mesh with the gear 41. During the course of this movement, engagement of the end 63 of the pin 8| with the cam surface 8'? causes said pin to he slid laterally in the lever to engage its end 82 with the notch 84', thereby positively locking the lever to the slide. Consequently, when the lever is returned to neutral position, engagement of said pin with said notch will cause said slide to be positively returned substantially to normal position independently of the spring 66. During the movement of the slide 63 to mesh the gear 5| with the gear 41, the slide 64 is prevented from following under the influence of its spring 61, since at this time the gear 52 is laterally engaged with the hub of the gear 36. Similarly when the lever 6| is moved toward the left from neutral position, the slide 64 is moved toward the left and acts through the arm 12, lever 15 and fork ll to move the gear 52 into mesh with the gear 41, following movement of the slide 63 under the influence of the spring 66 being prevented by engagement of the gear 5| with the hub of the gear 35 or with an intermediate spacing collar.

To connect the parts for the low or first speed drive, the slide 54 is moved toward the left from the neutral position shown in Fig. 5, thereby causing the lever 6| to move the slide 63 toward the right and move the gear 5| rearwardly into mesh with the gear 41. The drive is then from the driving shaft section 22 to the driven shaft section 23 through the gears 3| and 32, countershaft 26, gears 5| and 41, and hubs 6 and 38.

For the reverse drive, the slide 54 is moved toward the right from the neutral position shown in Fig. 5, thereby causing the lever 6| to move the slide 64 toward the left, so that the arm 72, lever 15 and fork H operate to move the gear 52 rearwardly into mesh with the gear 41. The drive is then through gears 3|, 32, 35, and 36, reverse shaft 2i, gears 52 and 41, and hubs 6 and 38.

For the second or intermediate speed drive, the slide 53 is moved rearwardly or toward the right from the neutral position shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing the fork 51 to move the hubs 38 and 6 toward the rear, these hubs moving in unison until the friction clutch surfaces 40 and 43 are engaged, whereupon the coupling 56 yields to permit the engagement of the positive clutch elements 45 and 49. The drive is then through the gears 3| and 32, countershaft 20, gears 33 and 34, and hubs 6 and 38.

For the direct or high speed drive, the slide 53 is moved toward the left from the neutral position shown in Fig. 2, thereby causing the fork 5? to shift the hubs 6 and 36 forwardly, first engaging the friction clutch 39, 4| and thereafter engaging the positive clutch elements 45 and 48. The drive is then through the clutch member 42 and hubs 6 and 38.

In Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive is shown a modification of the mechanism above described for operating the gears 5| and 52 In this construction the slides 636 and 646, which correspond to the slides 63 and 64 of the arrangement first described, are slidably mounted on a fixed rod 650 of hexagonal cross section and corresponding to the rod 65. The lever 6|0, which corresponds to the lever 6|, has a bifurcated lower end 99 the arms of which engage, at opposite sides and without substantial lost motion, lugs 9| and 92 on a slide 93 having an undercut groove 94 to receive T-shaped heads or flanges 95 on the slides 639 and G lli, whereby the former slide is guided on the latter slides for movement longitudinally of the rod 550, i. e., parallel to the movement of the slides 630 and 640. The lugs 9| and 92 extend downwardly, at opposite sides of the slide 93, below the bifurcated end 90 of the lever 6H0, as shown most clearly in Fig. 9, to cooperate with the slides 63!] and 650, the lugs 92 engaging lugs 96 at opposite sides of the slide 640, and the lugs 9i engaging a similar lug 9? at one side of the slide 630 and the arm 68 at the opposite side of said slide. The slides 630 and Mil carry detents in the form of pins 98 and 99 (see Fig. 11) slidably mounted therein, which pins cooperate with cam surfaces 866 and an! at opposite ends of a groove I99 formed in the rod 850. The pins 98 and 99 are normally projected into the groove Hill by plungers llll and H12 guided in apertures H33 and H34 in the slide 93, said plungers being normally urged toward said pins by springs H35 and 806 interposed between them and a transverse pin H31 carried by said slide 93, the movement of said plungers under the influence of said springs being limited by engagement of heads I08 thereon with shoulders formed in the interior of the apertures Hi3 and I04.

When the lower end of the lever Sill is moved toward the right from the neutral position shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the slide 93 moves with it, and engagement of the lug 9! with the lug 91 and arm 68 causes a corresponding movement toward the right of the slide 630, the slide 540 remaining stationary, and the slide 93 moving thereover. During the first part of this movement the pin 98 engages the cam surface 860 and is moved outwardly thereby into the inner end of the aperture Hi3, forcing the plunger HJl outwardly against the tension of its spring we, thereby positively looking or coupling the slide 630 with the slide 93, so as to move with the latter into gear meshing position and back into neutral position. When the lower end of the lever 6"] is moved toward the left from the neutral position shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, the slide 640 will be similarly operated, the slide 630 remaining stationary. The operation of this mechanism is otherwise the same as that of the mechanism shown in Figs. 4 to '7, as will, it is thought, be obvious without further explanation.

I claim:

1. In a variable. speed transmission, a driving shaft, a countershaft geared thereto, a reverse shaft geared to said countershaft, a driven shaft, a gear on said driven shaft, and gears on said countershaft and reverse shaft alternatively shiftable each in one direction only, and both in the same direction, from neutral position into mesh with the gear on said driven shaft.

2. In a variable speed transmission, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a countershaft, a reverse shaft, bearings for said shafts, gears connecting said countershaft with said driving, driven, and reverse shafts, all of said gears being located adjacent the bearings for the respective shafts by which they are carried, a gear on said driven shaft, and gears on said countershaft and reverse shaft alternatively shiftable from neutral position into mesh with said last named gear.

3. In a variable speed transmission, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a countershaft, a reverse shaft, bearings for said shafts, gears connecting said countershaft with said driving, driven, and reverse shafts, all of said gears being located adjacent the bearings for the respective shafts by which they are carried, a gear on said driven shaft between said first named gears, and gears on said countershaft and reverse shaft alternatively shiftable from neutral position into mesh with said last named gear.

4. In a variable speed transmission, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a countershaft, a reverse shaft, constantly meshed gears connecting said countershaft with said driving, driven, and reverse shafts, one of the gears of the pair connecting the countershaft with the driven shaft being loose on the latter shaft, a clutch member on the driven shaft for clutching said last named gear thereto, a gear carried by said clutch member, and gears on said countershaft and reverse shaft alternatively shiftable into mesh with said clutch member gear.

JAMES HAROLD MEECH. 

